Peace and Security
German foreign policy is peace policy. In collaboration with its partners, Germany is active in the United Nations, NATO, the OSCE and other organisations, in pursuit of a fair, peaceful and stable international order. Within this policy, particular emphasis is placed on the prevention and resolution of crises as well as disarmament and non-proliferation.
As a country with a dense network of international links and large volumes of international trade, Germany has a strong interest in a stable and peaceful world. Western and Central Europe has been spared military conflict since the Second World War. However, as the conflicts in former Yugoslavia showed in the early 1990s, this cannot be taken for granted. Many parts of the world are still subject to military and political conflict and great material need. Germany intends to contribute toward the search for a solution to these problems.
United Nations
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UN headquarters in New York
(© picture-alliance/ dpa)
Germany is actively engaged in the United Nations (UN) and plays an important role in shaping practically all areas of its work. Germany is the UN’s third-biggest financial contributor at present and a potential candidate for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
Germany has been elected as a non-permanent member on the Security Council for the 2011 2012 term. Germany intends to help shape that body’s work as a reliable partner for all UN member states and in bridging gaps between global regions. In the Security Council, important themes for Germany will be post-conflict peacebuilding, disarmament, protecting the climate and combating terrorism.
Germany also intends to help push for UN reform, so that the organisation embodies a more realistic reflection of today’s global balance of power and can fulfil its tasks efficiently.
North Atlantic Alliance
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Westerwelle and Rasmussen
(© Federal Foreign Office)
Since the Federal Republic joined NATO, the Organisation’s remit has shifted due to changes in the international security situation. Following the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, its main tasks of deterrence and defence were joined by other important issues: cooperation with former enemies, taking in new members and conflict-prevention and -resolution outside the NATO area, such as the NATO engagement in Afghanistan.
At the NATO summit held in Lisbon on 19 and 20 November 2010, the Organisation decided on a new Strategic Concept. Germany campaigned successfully to have NATO join the pursuit of disarmament and non-proliferation.
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Within the framework of the OSCE, too, Germany works for peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction.
The Organisation was created in 1975 by the Helsinki Final Act. Its activities are divided into three areas, or “dimensions”: the politico-military, and economic-environmental and the human. Germany is represented in almost all OSCE long-term missions and institutions. Germany sees particular importance in the OSCE’s campaign against anti-Semitism.
Disarmament and arms control
Germany campaigns actively for disarmament, arms control and the non-proliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and it supports the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.
In many countries of the world, Germany promotes projects to control small arms and to implement the ban on landmines and cluster munitions with the aim of seeing it universally applied.
More on disarmament and arms control
Crisis prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding
Germany is an important partner for the international community when it comes to peacekeeping within the United Nations framework.
For 20 years now, Germany has been contributing peacekeeping troops (known as “blue helmets”) to international UN missions; currently, they are deployed in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia and the Sudan.
In this area as well, Germany is one of the most important players in the field of international assistance to establish new police forces. At present, Germany is involved in eleven police missions within the United Nations: in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Sudan, Liberia, Georgia, Moldova/ Ukraine and the Palestinian Territories.
